First bus of migrants arrives in Washington, D.C., from Texas under Abbott’s new controversial plan

WASHINGTON — Sitting in the plaza in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C., with the U.S. Capitol behind her, Ordalis Heras, a 26-year-old Venezuelan asylum-seeker, tried to control her two young children while she waited to get transportation to New York.

Two months ago, Heras said she fled Venezuela with her husband and children to escape President Nicolás Maduro’s regime. She crossed the border on Sunday through Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, and surrendered to U.S. immigration authorities in Del Rio.

On Tuesday, she took an offer from the state of Texas to be taken about 1,700 miles to Washington, D.C., for free. Now, a day later, she was about 200 miles away from her final destination.